1. find help from a librarian

For individual assistance from a librarian, visit or phone the Reference Desk on second floor (487-2507), e-mail reflib@mtu.edu, or use the Ask a Librarian button on the Library's web page. At times when the reference desk is not staffed, you can leave a voice mail message or leave your question via a form available at the desk. Group instruction in library use can also be arranged using the above contacts.

2. find a book

Start by searching the JRVP Online Catalog. A Basic Search allows searches by Subject, Title, Journal Title, Call Number, Author and Keyword (relevance). A Keyword Search allows you to combine search terms with Boolean operators. The Keyword Search also allows searching by ISSN, ISBN, and publisher. 

The JRVP Online Catalog indicates the location and Library of Congress (LC) call number for each item listed. The location, such as Main Collection, Reference Stacks, U.S. Documents, etc., indicates the section of the Library where the book is located. The call number indicates the book's position on the shelf. Some books are available electronically; these can be accessed through links on the JRVP Online Catalog records.

To identify books that are not available in the Library, select Databases from the "Library Resources" list, then type WorldCat into the box at the top of the screen. WorldCat is a catalog of items cataloged by OCLC member libraries and contains over 57,000,000 records describing books, periodicals, websites, and other material. Books that are not available in the Library can usually be obtained for you through interlibrary loan(ILL ).   To initiate an interlibrary loan request in WorldCat, go to the record for the desired book, click on the ILL button that appears near the top of the screen, complete the form that appears, then click on "Submit".

3. find an article

To enable you to find articles from journals, conference proceedings, and other publications, the library offers a collection of databases for searching for article citations by keyword, subject, author, title, and other search criteria. Many of these databases provide the full text of some of the articles listed. 

To find the databases, go to the "Library Resources" list and click on "Databases". The resulting screen displays six tabs across the top of the page, but you'll notice that the ?Databases? tab is highlighted, indicating that this feature is activated.

Here you'll find four options for finding databases: 

1. "Search for Databases" to search the database titles and/or descriptions by keyword, 
2. "Databases A-Z" to browse an alphabetical list of databases by title, 
3. "Search by Subject Headings" to view databases grouped by subject, and 
4. "Search by Providers" to view databases grouped by the organizations that provide them. 

For tips on searching the most heavily used databases, consult Database Keyword Search Tips,  available by selecting Tutorials from the "Library Resources" list. The databases also have online "Help" available with tips and instructions on searching effectively.

4. find a journal/periodical

Conduct a "Journal Title" search for the title of the periodical in the JRVP Online Catalog to find the call number and location. The catalog entry will indicate whether the issue you need is located in the Current Journals collection on main floor, in the Serials collection on the Garden Level, or in the Microforms collection on microfilm or microfiche on second floor. The Library also subscribes to an increasing number of electronic journals. Some, but not all, are listed in the JRVP Online Catalog.

5. find an electronic journal

To search for electronic journals that the Library offers, go to the "Library Resources" list and select E-Journals. The resulting screen displays six tabs across the top of the page, but you'll notice that the ?E-Journals? tab is highlighted, indicating that this feature is activated.

The E-Journals search screen offers three tabs:

1. Titles: 
   "Search for E-Journal Titles" to search for titles by entering either the beginning of a title (Starts with), keywords from the title (Contains), or an exact title (Exact).
   
   "E-Journal Titles A-Z" to browse an alphabetical list by title.
   
   
2. Category: 
   To view E-Journal titles grouped by subject category. When you make a selection from the "Category" list, subcategories will appear in the adjoining box.
   
   
3. Locate:
   To search by title or category with the added options of entering an ISSN number or viewing E-Journals grouped by the organizations that provide them.
   

Clicking on "Go Fetch", or HuskyFetch, takes you to the full-text.

6. find course reserve

From the Library homepage under Library Resources click on Course Reserve.

1. Select the instructor, department and course using the drop down menus.
2. Click Submit Search.
3. Click on title of item for detailed record.

Course Reserves are available in print or electronic format.

1. Accessing print course reserves - Ask for material at the Circulation Desk on the First Floor.
2. Accessing electronic course reserves - In the detailed record click on the E-Items link. Note: Adobe Acrobat is required.

7. find an electronic Michigan Tech dissertations

Select Databases from the "Library Resources" list, then type Dissertations and Theses @ Michigan Technological University into the box at the top of the screen, then click on that title on the resulting screen.

Dissertations and Theses @ Michigan Technological University is a searchable full text database of dissertations submitted by Michigan Tech to Proquest/UMI's Dissertation database. Full-text PDF files are available for most dissertations from 1968. Also includes some theses.

8. find SAE Publications

SAE Digital Library, found under Databases on the Library website, is a good place to start. It indexes the published literature on self-propelled vehicles, including technical papers, standards and regulations published from 1906 to the present. Abstracts are provided for conference papers, journal and magazine articles, and research reports. Full-text is provided for SAE Technical Papers beginning with 1998.

The SAE International website at www.sae.org  offers another option for identifying SAE publications, but it does not provide the full-text of the publications listed. This site is available to the general public.

Here is a summary of SAE publications held by the J. R. Van Pelt / Opie Library. Check the JRVP Online Catalog for more detailed holdings information.

1. SAE Technical Paper Series (1981-present)
   • 1998- present
     SAE Digital Library contains the full text of Technical Papers published by SAE beginning with 1998, identified as follows:
          1998: Publication numbers with 0 or 1 as the third digit.
          1999 onward: Publication numbers with -01- after the date.
     
   • 1981-2004 - Microfiche, 2^nd Floor. Call number: TL 1 .S66

   Using SAE's numbering system to determine which Technical Papers the Library owns:
   Papers dated through 1998 are numbered using a six-digit numbering system (For example, 980123). The first two digits represent the year, and the third digit represents the publisher. The Library owns papers with 0 or 1 as the third digit, indicating that these are papers published by SAE.
   
   Beginning in 1999, SAE began using a ten-digit system (For example, 1999-01-0123). The middle two digits represent the publisher. The Library owns papers with -01- as the middle digits, indicating that these are papers published by SAE.

2. SAE Transactions (1946-2004) - TL 1 .S6t - Serials Collection, Garden Level
   "Peer reviewed SAE Technical Papers judged and selected for their long term technical reference value." -- SAE
   

3. SAE Journals (1928-present) - TL 1 .S6j - Serials Collection, Garden Level; latest in Current Journals Collection, 1^st Floor

   • SAE Journal - v. 22-77, 1928-69
   • SAE Journal of Automotive Engineering - v. 78-80, 1970-72
   • Automotive Engineering - v. 81-105, 1973-97
   • Automotive Engineering International - v. 106- , 1998-present
     

4. SAE Special Publications (SP) and Proceedings (P)
   The Library has a few, cataloged as monographs. Search the JRVP Online Catalog by Keyword to find them. Some of these papers were also published in the Journal or Transactions.

5. SAE Standards - Reference Collection, 2^nd Floor
   See ANSI Standards (TA 401 .A4 REF) and the SAE. Handbook (TL 151 .S6 REF)

6. Print Indexes to SAE Publications
   • Print Index Collection - 2^nd Floor:
     • Cumulative Index of SAE Technical Papers, 1906-1964 - TL 1 .S618 1990 INDX
     • Cumulative Index of SAE Technical Papers, 1965-1993 - TL 1 .S62 12^th ed INDX
     • Technical Literature Abstracts for 1999 Technical Papers - TL 1 .S626 INDX
     • Annual Index/Abstracts of SAE Technical Papers (Latest year) - TL 1 .S625 INDX
   • Main Collection - 3^rd Floor:
     • SAE Transactions and literature developed during... - (1966-1983) - TL 1 .S625
     • Annual Index/Abstracts of SAE Technical Papers (1984-present) - TL 1 .S625 (Latest in Print Index Collection, 2^nd Floor)

9. return library books

Library materials may be returned at the Circulation desk in the J. R. Van Pelt / Opie Library during regular hours or at any library book return. Book returns are available at the following campus locations:

• Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building
• U. J. Noblet Forestry & Wood Products Building
• R.L. Smith Building (ME-EM)
• J. R. Van Pelt/Opie Library
• Walker Arts and Humanities Center

10. reserve a group study room

Please check the "Self-Booking of Group Study Rooms" section on the Study Rooms webpage. Make sure to read the Study Room Rules before you make a reservation.